MADE Magazine Issue 9

WWW.MADE-MAGAZINE.COM

LaMyia & Meagan Good

Discover more.

THE GOOD SISTERS EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS, PROSPERITY & PHILANTHROPY

SKY HIGH:

Business Tips To Make It To the Top

GAME CHANGER: Olympic Bobsledder AJA EVANS

DESTINY FULFILLED:

Top 5 Wedding Destinations

EXPLORERS’ ISSUE SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

Reach new heights for your goals to travel and change the world

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Following your heart, intuition and most importantly God, will lead you to the exact point where your ultimate success lies.

F

ulfilling your destiny is a lifelong journey.

Understanding your purpose takes a series of intentional actions, a collection of inspired moments that reveal your best contribution to society. For me, it took several experiences rolled up to one “ah ha” moment that gave me insight to where to use my God-given talents while impacting my local and global communities.

Through my journey, I’ve learned that the present moment is the perfect opportunity to tap into and share my gifts.

Removing barriers of my mind such as the fear of losing or worrying about what others would think, gave me the confidence I needed to create a purpose-driven life. Praying for guidance made my destination clearer as He will always lead you in the right direction. Sure, we can map out our futures in preparation for whats to come. But, following your heart, intuition and most importantly God, will lead you to the exact point where your ultimate success lies.

Still, I have more to explore and the most exciting thing about it all is the places I will go and the people I will meet along the way. I hope our Explorers Issue will help take you to places unimaginable. Good luck on your journey.

Cheers,

Kris D. Williams PUBLISHER

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THE

TEAM + CONTRIBUTORS KRIS D. WILLIAMS publisher DERRICK L. CHRISTIAN II editor-in-chief CHELSEY SINCERRAY sr. media coorinator ROHAN SHETTY multimedia strategist TAHITI SPEARS art director XUXA DAY contributor

06.

KIM JACKSON contributor INDIA MCMILLER contributor

02.

EXPLORERS ISSUE

Reach new heights and explore unchartered territory.

In this issue, MADE highlights professionals who have broken barriers in their industries and careers.

12.

25.

CONTENTS E X P LO R E I S S U E made-magazine.com

06. MADE FEATURES Made to motivate you by the success stories of everyday people, entrepreneurs and entertainers.

12. MADE MUSIC Made to showcase a millennial point of view on the hottest musical talent.

25. MADE CONNECTIONS Made to cultivate relationships that inspire us to build a better world.

27. MADE NOW Made to inform you on current news, controversy and conversations in today’s culture.

30. MADE GLOBAL Made to share experiences around the globe that matter to young people the most.

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36. MADE INC Made to turn your business mind into a business goldmine.

48.

48. MADE LIFE Made to style the way you live to match up to greatness.

Don’t be Shy! Share your story with us that may help millennials of color navigate their professional and personal lives.

Click here to contribute your story.

MADE XXXX

FOR THE

Greater Good MADE By Kris D. Williams Adventurous, unconventional women who are unafraid to cross boundaries and risk it all. This describes the Good sisters who are unapologetically confident in who they are and what they stand for. In an exclusive interview with MADE Magazine, Meagan and LaMyia Good share how they fight for the greater good of themselves and others through entrepreneurship, philanthropy and entertainment.

CREDITS: Photo : Jennifer Johnson MUA: The Gleam Project / Saisha Beecham Hair: Maisha Oliver Stylist: Chance Davis

MADE FEATURES

M

ADE: Thank you for coming to interview with MADE Magazine.

We definitely appreciate you guys!

Meagan: Thank you for having us!

MADE: You recently rolled out a clothing line called “Defend Good Girl”. Tell us why you chose flannel wear and what it symbolizes for you all?

Meagan: We chose flannel because growing up we wore flannels all the time. Especially just as young women, it just has been a piece of a majority of our outfits because it gives off the sense of...you’re not trying too hard. You just have a little bit of an effortless flair, but it’s comfortable. It’s simple and we just love flannels. We noticed that a lot of the younger kids were bringing it back and starting to wear it as well. So we were like, “Listen, why don’t we do something that’s a classic piece that we already love and they love”. So yeah, we were like “Let’s do a flannel where it can be a dress as well”. So you can wear it so many ways.

it defines them. And so, it was important for us to really represent that the things that you have been through, the tests that you’ve been through should be your testimony. And when it defines you, it can be in a positive way. And really to unapologetically be themselves, be authentic and have ownership. Don’t live in fear and don’t be in a box.

Meagan: And I think too being the girls who take ownership over themselves, who love themselves, respect themselves and have self-worth for some reason is not a very popular thing. A lot of women nowadays are feeling like they have to show themselves a certain way or they have to do things that may be exploitive.

To each its own, no judgement, but I think a lot of younger girls are following in those steps where they think that they don’t have any value unless they look like “this”, or unless they’re doing “this”, or unless they’ve slept with “that” person, or unless they can compete with “this”

MADE: So what is the definition of a good girl to you and why do you want to defend her?

LaMyia: Well, to us we’ve dealt with a lot of adversity just like a lot of young women have. I think a lot of times young women get confused with thinking that what may have happened to them or what they have done in their lives whatever scars, damages they may carry, whatever burdens they may carry - that

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Do your own thing.

Blaze your own path.

MADE FEATURES

person, or unless they have these things, or whatever it is. And so, we feel like being a “good girl” instead of a “Bad B” is something that is not common. We want to encourage women who take pride in being something different, not following the status quo. Doing your own thing, blazing your own path. And knowing that it’s fly to be good, it’s fly to be yourself, it’s fly to demand respect, it’s fly to know that you can conquer the world. I think

When we view other women, it’s not competition. It’s all about how can I uplift this sister.”

that kind of girl needs to be defended because I think a lot of people are afraid to be that person because they’re going to be perceived maybe corny or not cool.

But dude, you don’t get it. That is the coolest thing you can do.

MADE: You fit your non-profit to match the empowerment of your fashion line.

How have you designed that company to impact the world?

LaMyia: Originally, Megan and I have always really had a passion for young women. It seems like the young women

we’re around - even women that we didn’t even know like that – would instantly be drawn to us. They would always share things with us, they were always compelled to really interact with us on a real level. And so, for us, we felt that God put this on our heart and we needed to share the things and experiences that we’ve been through and really help bring other young women up. Give them the opportunity to be in like-minded groups, really express themselves and find solutions in ways to move forward. Give them resources. Initially it’s like, we got out of school, we’ve always been into acting, and we’ve always known the direction that we wanted to go into. But we know a lot of women who don’t know how to get started because they don’t have the resources or they don’t know where to turn. And so for us, we want to be a resource center for these young women and give them the opportunity to reach out and be connected where they might not otherwise have those opportunities.

Meagan: As well as a resource of support and mentors - people to just really love on them that are really about sisterhood and about making sure that the young girl behind me, behind her, has an opportunity to pursue the things that they want in life. That’s the goal, that’s the movement.

MADE: It sounds like something gave you all strong motivation to be well rounded. What instilled that confidence in you to feel like “I can be sexy, but I can still have good values at the same time”?

LaMyia: & Meagan: Mom. LaMyia: Starting with our mother. We had a single mother. In our household, she was married and we didn’t hear a lot arguing, a lot of fighting or things like

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MADE FEATURES

We always saw a confident woman that had a job, she came home, she cooked for us, she took care of us, she took care of her husband. She’s always just given us a real picture of what a real woman looks like. She’s always carried herself in that way.

Meagan: It really does go back to our mom. I think she instilled a lot of confidence in us and let us know that we were capable of anything. Always held us accountable. We always had real conversations with her growing up. She never really shied away from anything.

And I think as a result, I believe, made us both really well rounded and kind of to a point where we were over confident.

We were like, “There is no plan-b. This is what’s going on, this is what we’re going to do”.

LaMyia: And I believe that our relationship as well definitely cultivated that confidence because we’ve had a chance to really encourage each other and really honor and respect each other through our relationship. When we view other women, it’s not competition. It’s all about how can I uplift this sister; how can I either be a part of what she got going on or bring into what we have going on. I feel like the sisterhood and the relationship that we’ve grown really cultivated that confidence in us in a major way. Because it’s not about competition, it’s about how can we work together and how can we be better. What things in you that I might be able to relate to and make me better or vice versa.

Meagan: Having that person in your life that you could be like, “Uh, that guy doesn’t like me” and she’s like “Well, that’s his loss.” And someone that you actually believe what they’re saying from a real place and they can’t lie to you, made-magazine.com | 9

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you know? So having that constant support system growing up I do believe is a huge part of both of our personalities now. We have each other’s back. We’ll do anything for each other. Nothing and no one can come between us and that’s just what it is.

MADE: From a woman’s perspective, what advice can you give for a lifebalance perspective?

Meagan: Purpose first.

LaMyia: Family first.

Meagan: I would say you have to have that balance. I feel like when we look at our careers, we don’t look at it as just “careers” for fun or for enjoyment, although we do still have fun and enjoy it.

But they also come with a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that people don’t see. If you look at whatever you’re pursuing in life, it has to be part of your purpose. It has to be part of who were called to be and who you were created to be. So I think that’s the number one thing. And also, family is a number one thing because when all of this other stuff isn’t here, and it’s up and down, you gotta remember what you’re doing it for and who you’re sharing it with.

LaMyia: Having that foundation I think for me especially - keeping family first is the top priority, and it kind of just levels out everything else. Everything else just falls behind that and I know that’s the same way for Meagan. It’s keeping that priority, deciding what that priority is, taking a look at your life and where you’re at. It’s really prioritizing. Taking a look: “Where in my life am I now and what is it that I want?” And when you have that, you stay focused on that goal and obviously as you evolve and change, you can reassess and reevaluate that.

Meagan: Don’t rush to have both. Let it happen at its own time. When you rush, you make compromising decisions that

can really be a part of the outcome of how your entire life goes. So definitely let things come as they may, stay consistent and stay focused. Stay believing and purposeful and let God do what God does.

Also, ask God. Always ask God. Anything and everything along the way, before you make major decisions rather it be in your marriage, in your relationship, in your career, ask God first. Because when you know when His blessing is on something, you know it will succeed exactly the way it’s supposed to. Even if things go awry for you, it’s exactly what it’s supposed to be because God has his hand on it. When he says “No”, you know that he said “No”.

You can feel that in your spirit. You’re not confused. The confusion is really what we want to do and what we’re supposed to do are conflicting. But if you talk to your spirit, if you talk to God and you trust your spirit then you know which one it’s supposed to be.

MADE: Do you feel like you’ve made it?

If not, what does that look like in your future?

LaMyia: That’s a tough question because I feel like our lives are a series of different journeys and you have a marker at each place. We’ve both accomplished many things that we’ve wanted to do in our lives. The beautiful thing about having God in your life and being guided in that aspect, is that you go from victory to victory. So, have we made it? Yeah. Because there’s so many things that we wanted to accomplish. Are we still making it? Yes. Meagan: I think it is a lifelong thing. I think yeah, we made it in a sense.

Success is how you measure it. We’re happy and we have peace of mind, and we have joy in our hearts. So in that sense, yeah, absolutely we made it. But we’re continuing to make it because we got so much more of we what we want to do and what we’re going to do.

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MINDBLOWN: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MINDLESS BEHAVIOR MADE By Lorem Ipsum MADE sat down with Mindless Behavior to chat about their new album #OfficialMBMusic and how they stay fresh as one of the only boy groups in the industry.

MADE: From the outside looking in, you all make a great group while still representing your individuality. How would you all describe your personal styles?

Princeton: I’m just very entertaining, I believe I’m always entertaining people. Always trying to make someone laugh or always trying to make people feel good. And I’m the only child, so I kind of like attention. So whatever I do, I always try to get attention with it. And, for Mike, I would say his personality is very fun, very flirty, very funny, very outgoing, but very chill at the same time.

EJ: Yeah, I’ll say that’s pretty accurate for Mike.

Then for me, I’m kind of more the laid back one. Even though I get comfortable, I get pretty wild too. I mean. Yeah, between the three of us, I’m probably the more laid back one - more chill one. I’m more of a tech guy a little bit, so if it’s stuff going on with computers then I could probably help them out.

MADE: About the new album,official#MBmusic,

tell us about the new sound and what sets it apart from the two previous albums.

Princeton: I think what sets official#MBmusic apart from the last MB albums is that people can hear, even read the lyrics, and see that we’re grown now. The last two albums were when I was 14 and 17 and this one I’m 20 years old now, so that’s a big gap in somebody’s life.

I kind of feel like there’s no way we could do the last two albums now and there’s no way that we were able to do this album in the past.

It’s perfect timing. It’s perfect the way we are.

EJ: We’re just mature now. The content we can talk about and the things we can talk about is different because we’re older now. Then also we released this album independently, so we have a lot more control over what we want to say and how we want things to roll out and how we want the music videos to look. So we just have a lot more control over it.

MADE: So, EJ, you’re 18?

EJ: Yes, Ma’am.

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MADE MUSIC MADE: And Mike is 18 as well right?

MB: Yep, yes he is.

MADE: Being 18 and 20 at that pivotal age when most kids are in school, partying and doing what normal teenagers do. Do you feel like you’ve missed anything or do you feel like the industry is accelerating your success?

Princeton: I feel like the Internet has just accelerated our success. I feel like even though we missed a lot in our childhood, I mean, it doesn’t beat traveling the world and meeting amazing fans. You know, it’s kinda like the life we chose so, we can’t really complain.

EJ: I think we’ve balanced it out, but also like he said, we chose this lifestyle and I wouldn’t change it for the world. We do what we love for a living.

MADE: A lot happens between 18 and 21 and you’re mentioning these things in your music.

Going into the industry at 14 is way different from 18 and 20. So, you all are not 21 yet, but between 18 and 20 so how do you feel like it’s different now that you’ve grown.

Princeton: I believe it’s very different because since people have seen MB grow up, they kind of feel like they know you already. Because they’ve kind of seen you grow up. When you see them, it’s kind of more personable more than more of a star struck. It’s kind of like, “Oh yeah, we’ve known you since you were 14 years old,” and it’s kind of true. The internet has played a big part as well. Even when we were 14 years old, when we first came out with our first single, Instagram wasn’t even invented and now it’s like the biggest thing in the world.

So, the internet has definitely changed...A LOT. MADE: And with that, we’ve noticed that you’re using hashtags on each of the song titles.

How has social media impacted your strategy this time around?

EJ: One thing is that our fans are already hashtag a bunch and we’re very active on Twitter and Instagram. That’s the kind of thing we saw about what way to make this connect to our fans online. We made the decision that everything will have hashtags. We kind of wanted to make it more interactive with them and make it easier for them to start hashtagging the album name and the songs - so maybe it can start trending like that - kind of start interacting with them more on social media.

MADE: Right, so being in that social media

generation, where everything gets old pretty quickly, how do you guys make sure you stay fresh?

Princeton: It’s very different because when the first album came out, within the first day we already knew the fans’ favorite songs because it’s quick when you can post videos and send DMs...so it’s really helpful. You get a lot of info.

We’re always updating Instagram, Snapchat, Instagram stories, Twitter, Facebook, and our website. Always being in our fans’ faces makes it personable.

MADE: For all of the millennials who are entrepreneurs and artists – especially those interested in entertainment as well – what does it look like and how do people navigate things as an independent artist?

EJ: I think it’s definitely more work. Definitely more of a grind. That’s one thing with us, I think we always try to put 100%, 110% in whatever we do. Really, if you care about the music and the craft and art of it, it’s worth it.

That’s one thing that we did, we really got to

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MADE XXXX our truth in this album and everything that we’re doing.

I think it definitely paid off and I think it’s definitely for the best. There are difficulties and tasks that are making it kind of difficult and hard to do it, but I think it pays off in the end. Like grinding and staying up late, doing rehearsals, having a bunch of meetings, making sure everything rolls out correctly...it takes a lot time and hard work, but it’s worth it.

MADE: So, major keys. You mentioned that you’ve had a lot of ups and downs in the industry. If you can pick three tips to share that are like major keys for people who are interested in breaking into the industry, what would you share?

Princeton: I would say stay focused, for sure.

EJ: I would say block out the noise. That’s something that we say a lot in our camp. Just block out the noise, the haters, all the outside scene and everything like that.

Princeton: For the last one, I’d say work hard. I mean, you can’t be denied if people see you working your butt off, you know? Stay focused, block out the noise and work hard.

EJ: Definitely...things we live by.

MADE: Describe the moment that you knew you MADE it. And if that moment hasn’t come yet, what does that look like?

Princeton: Man, I wouldn’t say that the moment was where I thought that I MADE it, but I would say that moment that I thought like, “Okay, this definitely legit” is when I got to meet the First Family. I got to meet Barrack Obama and Michelle Obama when they invited the group to the White House and invited us to perform two more times. I mean that’s something that will never happen again. We were the first African-American group to perform at the White House.

That is the moment where I felt like, “This is legit”. But “Made it”...I’m not there yet.

Let’s see...let’s see...I can wake up and someone can do my hair instead of me. No, I’m just kidding (chuckles). When I can wake up and feel like Eddie Murphy in “Coming to America” then I can say I made it (chuckles). I don’t know... just um...I don’t really know. I haven’t really thought about that. Maybe getting certain awards - like a Grammy, VMAs little things like that, would probably...little awards...

EJ: Yeah, I think for me, it’s always been...I know that I’ve made it when if I’m performing at a concert and they’re singing our songs but I’m in a different country. I’ve always felt like that reach is kind of like famous. I think it’s a couple of moments, I think there’s not that single moment, but that’ll be one of the moments where it’s like, “We really reach people at places we’ve never been before”.

MADE: So yeah, going back to that. I know you guys work with a lot of entertainers - from Janet Jackson to Justin Bieber. Who do you want to work with that you’ve haven’t worked with in the made-magazine.com | 14

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future?

Princeton: Pharrell would be really of dope. I think a collaboration with Pharrell. Not even in terms of a “future collaboration”, but like him producing a record I think would be amazing.

EJ: Definitely, definitely. Him and I think Big Sean would be dope.

MADE: What is your outlook on male music groups and the relevance in the industry today?

Princeton: I believe that back in the day a lot of male groups performed really great and I just feel like we’re bringing that back. You know, even through all the changes and everything, we’re definitely bringing that edge back and that consistency back that groups need. Hopefully, I know there’s a bunch of girls groups. There’s a lot of bands, but in terms of groups, there isn’t a lot. So, it just makes us feel even more determined to hold that down.

MADE: Anything else you wanna share about your album or any new projects coming up?

Princeton: Man, we wanna say that we put out four music videos so far. We’re excited to go on tour. We’re really excited to hit the road. We’re starting November 9th in Greensborough. I’m motivating the fans to come see a show, because a lot of fans haven’t seen us perform the new record. So, hopefully they can come through and see a show and everything will be cool. made-magazine.com | 15

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SOUND WAVES

HOT NEW ARTISTS

MADE By It’s time to plug in some new tunes from Chelsey Sincerray dope new artists. We have selected four Chicago up and coming artists who will perform live at our first listening session entitled “Soundwaves” on September 15th in our Chicago studio. Each will have a 20-minute set in an unplugged, acoustic atmosphere. RSVP here to attend!

01.

TRELL LOVE • • • •

ESHE

02.

• • • •

| RAPPER

CHICAGO, IL Genre: HipHop Recent Single: Champagne and Cigar Smoke Website: trelllove.com

| RAPPER

CHICAGO, IL Genre: HipHop Recent Single: The Wave Website: esheallday.com

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HIGHNESS COLLECTIVE • • • •

| SINGERS

CHICAGO, IL Genre: Funk, Soul, R&B Recent Single: The Highness Collective Website: soundcloud.com/highnessmusic

ANTHONY PAUL SINGER/SONGWRITER • • •

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CHICAGO, IL Genre: Pop Recent Single: I AM

|

MADE MADEXXXX MUSIC

MADE ON DEMAND CLICK HERE TO ORDER A PRINT COPY OF MADE MAGAZINE

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W

AUNDER

LIST

YOUR MUSIC PLAYLIST OF ESCAPE MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

Nomadic in vibe, this playlist is perfect for the limitless traveler and essential for the boundless explorer looking for something new. Let these grooves take you to an unknown waunderland where thoughts collide.

SONG: ALOHA ARTIST: MØME FEAT. MERRY JEANN ALBUM: ALOHA (2015)

What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.

— Buddha SONG: CAPE TOWN (PANAMA REMIX) ARTIST: CLUBFEET ALBUM: CAPE TOWN (PANAMA REMIX) (SINGLE) (2013) SONG: CLAP YOUR HANDS ARTIST: WHILK & MISKY ALBUM: THE FIRST SIP (2014)

SONG: WHO YOU ARE ARTIST: KAASI ALBUM: WHO YOU ARE (2015)

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MADE MUSIC

SONG: BE RIGHT THERE ARTIST: DIPLO & SLEEPY TOM ALBUM: BE RIGHT THERE (SINGLE) (2015)

SONG: LOSE YOURSELF TO DANCE ARTIST: DAFT PUNK ALBUM: RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES (2013)

SONG: SUNSET ARTIST: THE INTERNET FEAT. YUNA ZARAAI ALBUM: FEEL GOOD (2013)

SONG: LEAN ON ARTIST: MAJOR LAZER FEAT. MØ ALBUM: PEACE IS THE MISSION: EXTENDED (2015)

SONG: VIVID DREAMS ARTIST: KAYTRANADA FEAT. RIVER TIBER ALBUM: 99.9% (2016)

SONG: FUN ARTIST: PITBULL ALBUM: GLOBALIZATION (2014)

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MADE MADE CONNECTIONS XXXX

DESTINY FUFLFILLED: MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

1. Gold Coast, Australia

We’ve ranked 5 locations from around the globe that will effortlessly bring unforgettable, breathtaking memories to all couples out there.

Each location having its own vibe, there’s noquestion that nature’s beauty resides amongst them all. Tie the knot in pure romance and your own unique style.

Major Keys: Bohemian, Gardens, Open Grasslands MADE Love Rating: 4 / 5 stars TOP VENUES • John Laws Park (Burleigh Heads) • Sheraton Mirage • Cascade Gardens (Broadbeach)

2. Quebec City, Canada Major Keys: CastleLike Architecture, Elegance, Modern MADE Love Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars TOP VENUES • Hôtel de Glace • Fairmont Le Château Frontenac • Belvédère Wakefield Inc.

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MADE CONNECTIONS

3. Viti Levu, Fiji Major Keys: Islands, Intimate, Palm Trees MADE Love Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars TOP VENUES • Naihehe Cave (Sigatoka) • Savusavu Rainforest (Koro Sun Resort) • The Warwick (Coral Coast)

CREDITS: Photos: Google Images

4. Santorini, Greece Major Keys: Beautiful shades of Blue, Exotic Romance, Ocean Views MADE Love Rating: 5 out 5 stars TOP VENUES • Le Ciel Santorini • Santa Irini Chapel • Oceanids Estate

We travel to not escape life, but for life not to escape us.” —Unknown 5. Cape Town, South Africa Major Keys: Beachfronts, Private Estates, Countryside MADE Love Rating: 4 / 5 stars TOP VENUES • Rockhaven (Elgin) • Brenaissance (Stellenbosch) • Allee Bleue (Franschhoek) made-magazine.com | 23

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PAY IT 4WARD HONORS:

A PHILANTHROPIC TOUR PRESENTED BY BMW MADE By Derrick L. Christian

Los Angeles was the latest stop on a journey to honor women across the nation who are driven to change the world.

CLICK TO SEE MORE OF THE EVENT

I

n front of an intimate crowd, four LAbased renaissance women inspired guests with encouraging stories of their path to the success and what their personal roadmap looks like to continue building up the communities they serve. One by one, they each stepped up to accept BMW’s “Women Who Pay It 4ward” Award and spoke on the power of what everyone can do when setting their sights on a goal, bringing people along with them and only focus on what is ahead.

Angela “Stikks” Adams, model, speaker, author and creator of #ThisCanHelpSome-

one; Rachel Buenviaje brand marketer at Nike; Lina Esco, an actress, filmmaker and creator of Free the Nipple Campaign; Tiffany Persons, founder and executive director of nonprofit organization, Shine On Sierra Leone and Tiffany Company Casting were all recognized as women making professional and philanthropic impacts in their neighborhoods.

“Paying it forward to me means doing acts of kindness to people all day long because you know they are going to do it to other people and it will continue to ripple all over the world,” explained honoree, Lina Esco. This type of ripple effect has caused women around the country to consider doing small gestures to spread positive energy to other women.

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MADE CONNECTIONS

The award recipients weren’t the only ones who got in on the action of showcasing their impact and sharing insights on how to create change. Hosted by producer, actress and entrepreneur, Tonanztin Esperza, she shared thoughts on how anyone can start a ripple effect where they are. “Making a difference in your own life, doing something that you love and putting your heart out there is the first step,” she said. Esperza led the program highlighting each honoree during the reception held at STK’s beautiful patio inside of the W Hotel Westwood.

This time around was the third honors brunch in the series from BMW, where the invite-only guests had the opportunity to “Drive for a Cause” where they take one of the latest models of their luxury vehicles for a spin around the sunny streets of California. For every guest that test drove a car, BMW made a $100 donation to Kicked It In Heels, a foundation that provides transitional services to breast cancer survivors of color, ultimately donating $2,500 to the organization from the event in Los Angeles.

“It has been an honor to showcase such influential women who are making an impact across the country, while also raising money for such a worthy cause,” said Kevin Williams, Head of Multicultural Marketing at BMW Group.

Events like these serve as a reminder that the keys to people being able to impact the world are tools that they already have in their pocket. BMW is motivated to jingle the keys that everyone has and encourage

people to put them to great use and bring others along for the ride.

Attendee and reporter, Robin Ayers explained, “People think that you’ve got to do something outrageous or it’s about finances or resources, but that’s far from the truth.

It could be very simple – it could be just about passing your knowledge on and you would be surprised about how much that helps and how selfless that is.”

The brunch series has planned additional stops around the country with the goal of passing knowledge and experiences from and between influential women in all industries.

CREDITS: Photo : Jennifer Johnson

MADE XXXX

HILLARY: MY OPINION OF THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MADE By JAMELF

W

hy we should Hillie Roc this election and not only vote against Trump?

Here are a few reasons why I believe Hillary Clinton should be the next President of the United States of America.

1.

She has dedicated her life to public service.

After Law School – she worked for the children defense fund, providing quality education for students with disabilities. Something that was learned from her emails being released is that HRC does the boring, hard work of government EVERYDAY! That’s a president that I want! Someone to WORK to get things done!

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MADE NOW

2.

I am not looking for a SAVIOR in a president who has the ability to walk into office and solve all the world’s problem. We need someone to work the system. Someone who can work with Congress, which still may be under Republican control in 2017. From being a very active First Lady of the United States, US Senator to Secretary of State --- NO ONE on this ballot knows the system better than Hillary.

3.

For those who want radical, REAL progressive change, seeing things like criminal justice reform, national policing standards, real immigration reform with a path to citizenship, LARGE investment in public educations and jobs, Gun Reform, Women’s Rights are important.

HRC wants and is on the right side of all of these issues.

I am not looking for a SAVIOR in a president who has the ability to walk

4. Something that we ALL should have learned from the Obama years is that a president is pretty limited without a Congress that is willing to work with him or HER. So if we want some real change in this country, let’s give the Senate and the HOUSE back to the democratic party. If we don’t want the status quo, let’s push a real progressive agenda and give our ideas and our candidates a chance to really govern!

What does this mean? Well, if we don’t win control of BOTH the HOUSE and SENATE it solve all the could be 2016 all over again.

We must SHOW UP in 2 years world’s problem. for the midterm elections and kick people out of congress that are not making the change we want to see! A president can only do so much. Madam President will need allies in Congress.

If we want a real political revolution, let’s get it. This is on us, but I believe we would have a friend in The White House to push the agenda we want to see.

into office and

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CREDITS: Photos: Google Images

MADE XXXX

THE HEALTHCARE

RUNDOWN

REINTRODUCING HEALTHCARE TO MILLENIALS MADE By Dr. Dhaval G. Bhanushali

More than ever before, healthcare is an undergoing a rapid transformation that could dictate how people obtain care for generations to come. Hospitals are more and more looking at big data and the startup culture has finally reached the healthcare world.

Why is this important for the millennial?

For one, advances in technology may allow you to get cheaper care, faster. It’s also interesting to watch the parallel growth in individualized/ personalized medicine and how it is now becoming mainstream. Gone are the days of “treating everyone the same” and now it’s becoming evident that each person should be treated specific to their individualized makeup.

THINGS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY: 1) Pharma companies and hospitals are looking to big data to help deliver better, more precise medications to patients. The hope is that this will lead to better outcomes and shorter hospital stays.

2) Telemedice is becoming more and more clear. There is increased legislation in place or under review detailing the reimbursement protocol. Once standardized, the office visit as made-magazine.com | 28

one hospital, they’ll likely be at others. If a solution doesn’t exist, build It Never be scared of a conversation.

Always remember you don’t know what you don’t know. Talk to people. Engage. You’ll learn more than you realize.

Politics matter.

Currently the major rate limiting step for technologies are government approval.

Understand the process and figure out how to use it in your favor.

FOR YOUR HEALTH Keep things organized.

Labs/ Imaging/ etc. It’s all important it’ll save you lots if time and money if it’s ever needed for some other reason.

Don’t go with the high deceuctable plan.

Prices are high and what seems like a good moment wont be one later on. Trust me. we know it will be completely different 3) There is more and more interest in remote monitoring/ wearable devices.

According to reports, Jawbone has been focusing more on the healthcare integration and with utilizing it’s tech as a viable medical device.

Keep pushing.

Ask your doctor about online forms. Look at what technologies exist in the office.

Sometimes, as physicians, we are oblivious to the changing world. Often, it’s not until multiple patients say something that they work to improve their practice.

Outcomes are now the focus and the reimbursement is expected to be correlated to how a patient does rather than other factors.

ON THE HORIZON: I serve as the head of a company, Health Digital, which builds out technology in healthcare. Each day, I’m more and more inspired by the ideas pitched to us and the potential out there. While we can’t build everything, these are my tips for millennials who want to be part of the change Keep your eyes open.

When visiting a clinic or hospital, pay attention to inefficiencies. If they are at

CEO of Health Digital, Dr. Dhaval G. Bhanushali

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Simone Manuel wins gold in the women’s 100m freestyle

Simone Biles w Olympic

CREDITS: Adam Pretty/Getty Images Elsa/Getty Images Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

Tori Bowie takes home a gold in 4x100 relay race

RIO: MADE MOMENTS OF

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MADE MADEGLOBAL XXXX

wins all-around c gold

Michelle Carter wins gold in Shot Put

Jimmy Butler’s takes basketball gold medal

O LY M P I C S From Simone Manuel’s gold medals, to Simone Manuel’s historic victory, here are our best moments from a memorable set of nights at the 2016 Olympics for millennials of color.

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MADE XXXX

PASS port JUNKIE MADE By Carri Cowan

With September upon us, you suddenly are quickly reminded that the year is almost over.

And then undoubtedly your thoughts jump to whether you’ve gotten everything done you’d hope for. Travel, like anything else is a time and money investment and will definitely elude you once a busy life takes hold. Overwhelmed thinking about it? Take a deep breath and focus on all you’ve accomplished. There will always be more to see and do. In the meantime, if you haven’t hit your travel goals, live vicariously through me. I’m reflecting on my travels this year and sharing an unforgettable moment from each trip. You know that moment where your thanking god you took the trip… or asking him to get you through to the end. Lol! It’s the collection of these moments that makes travel a worthy part of your yearly goals. So get something on the books for the last quarter of the year! Hopefully the holiday season will afford you some time off.

MADE MADE GLOBAL XXXX

A

WINTER WONDERLAND IN LONDON My time in London was quick and cold. I touched down mid January escaping the snow back in the states. I found the time to squeeze in the usually recommended sights… at sunrise.

To be clear, this earliness was more of a coincidence given my work schedule than a deliberate plan. But it actually turned out to be a really cool way to see those iconic London sights, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye. The stillness added to the stateliness, allowing you to really take in the beauty. Otherwise London is all about shopping and hanging out. I did some damage at Selfridges, though justified given there was a sale on some great designer pieces. My favorite spot to take in a cocktail was the EDITION hotel. It was super swanky and the bartenders went through quite the performance to serve up their signature cocktails.

THAT MOMENT WHEN: In the midst of early morning serenity, you catch the sun rising behind

BigBen, the famous London tower clock

SXSW IN AUSTIN This was my first time attending SxSW, and I can in fact vouch for it being the mother of music festivals. In actuality, it has evolved to much more than music which is partially what makes it a true stand out. The Interactive (Tech) and Film portions THAT MOMENT round out the balance of the conference and are both worth checking out. WHEN: A SxSW As someone who wouldn’t otherwise be hip to the newest technologies festival worker or gadgets, I left knowing the difference between virtual reality and randomly offers you augmented reality because the exhibits give you the chance to experience a ticket to the highly it first hand. *pats self on back* A potentially offputting aspect of SxSW I coveted keynote picked up on though is that its average consumer is a becoming primarily a speech given by the business crowd with exhibitors using their invite only concerts and parties POTUS Barack as a ploy to get their new technologies in front of brand “gatekeepers.”

This makes it tough for the average attendee to get ahold of the usually free but limited tickets.

Use Google and Eventbrite to secure RSVPs and start early. An equally important must do for your agenda in Austin is to EAT. In fact losing a few pounds prior to your trip in anticipation of gaining a few from all the bbq you will eat is probably a good exercise. I got down and dirty at a spot called the Salt Lick, which is a short scenic drive from Austin.

It was a lively joint which lets you get up close and personal with the meat as the staff flips and and bastes it on the open fire.

MEMORIAL DAY IN CANCUN Cancun is one of those old-faithful type destinations when you are looking for a quick, affordable (and ratchet-fun) beach vacay.

Is it likely that you will find a bridge and tunnel, first time going somewhere, girls gone wild type crowd?

Yes. Does that mean you shouldn’t go? No. I went for Memorial Day, which for most US centric destinations is a going to be a “party” weekend. What I like about Cancun is that you can opt in or out at your level of interest. And when you are ready to opt-in you know exactly where to go as all of the nightlife in

MADE MADEGLOBAL XXXX day before the event would occur. I was able to score tickets to a few USA Basketball games and witness the historic Simone Manuel swim match.

Each event I attended restored a little tiny bit a faith in human kind for me, because while competition was fierce, fans were completely respectful while the national anthem of whoever won was played. A careful consideration to planning your Olympic trip is to spend time preparing for the host country. Brazil got a bad beat from the media leading up to the opening between the Zika scare and doubts that they could meet infrastructural deadlines.

The reports weren’t completely false but they were certainly over exaggerated. Brazil, like any other emerging country grapples with crime, inefficiencies, and challenging development.

Nevertheless, I ventured out carefully planned with a dedicated driver to see some of the sights of Brazil. Check out the Cristo Rendentor and concentrated in one area known as “the Strip.” I planned my nights out in sync with the calendar of a promotor group who throw parties every year (do a few Instagram searches to figure out the moves). If you choose to class it up, there are many options to do that on a budget as well. My girlfriends and I opted to charter our own yacht for a few hours at only a mere $200 a piece with 5 people total on the boat. Decent beaches, good food, great service, and some crazy memories I probably wont share with my kids, will keep me coming back Cancun time and time again.

THAT MOMENT WHEN: You make it back to

your hotel at the same time the sun is coming up, you change your clothes, hit the beach and wake up with terrible sunburn because you slept for hours

colorful Escalaron steps to say you did it – but go early in the day so that you can capture Instagram worthy pictures without a whole bunch of other people in the background. Once I had my typical tourist to-dos out of the way, I particularly enjoyed eating and hanging out in the less touristy upscale neighborhoods of Ipanema and Leblon.

THAT MOMENT WHEN: You witness

2016 OLYMPICS IN BRAZIL As one of the most fascinating travel experiences I’ve ever had, attending a set of Olympic games is bucket list worthy. It was like being at a UN convention… a UN sports convention to be exact. People come from far and wide, decked out in their country flag colors to support the athletes representing their countries in some of #melaninmagic over and over again, as you the most obscure sporting events ever. *When realize most the the athletes representing the time comes along, remind me to sign my your country and bringing home gold medals kids up for synchronized diving* The Olympics are people of color are incredibly accessible with tickets available to most events on the official website up until the made-magazine.com | 34

MADE XXXX

JOIN

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10

Travel ENTREPRENEURS

TAKING OVER

THE SPHERE

We perused IG to find travelers we could get inspiration and motivation from to use travel as a gateway to launch a business. Check out our top picks.

EVITA TURQUOISE ROBINSON | @evierobbie Creator of @NomadnessTribe. Travel Photographer. Artist.

Robinson continues her travel tribe as a movement amongst communities and families across the world.

KYLE B. | @godriftaway Born in Trinidad, but raised in Montreal (Quebec), Canada, shares his travel experiences through his Drift Away Travel Blog.

MADE INC TRACEY COLEMAN | @bktraveladdict Currently residing in Brooklyn, Tracey continues to further her travel blog and stories while also working independently as Creative Marketing Consultant and Event Planner.

MABLE TAPLIN | @discovher Embarking on a journey to reconnect with herself and her higher purpose, Mable took a leap of faith to travel the world full time. After you watch her journey, she may inspire you to do the same.

Success is not a destination, but the road that you’re on�

TERI JOHNSON | @travelistateri Teri not only vlogs her experiences through her online own video network, Travelista TV, she ventures across the world while also furthering her entrepreneurial journey with her own fragrance line.

AMIRAH & JARRELL COOK | @coolyounghistory They have turned their honeymoon into a lifestyle by visiting 27 countries in 33 Months.

They launched Snack Box to give consumers a taste international snacks.

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MADE INC

ONEIKA RAYMOND | @oneikatraveller Having traveled across 93 countries, Toronto native Oneika Raymond continues her passion in traveling and learning cultures from around the world. She now teaches at a private school in Hong Kong as a middle-school teacher.

GLORIA ATANMO | @glographics Glo inspires others through her journey of being a solo female traveler via her blog: the Blog Abroad

LAUREN MILLER | @cantstayput_ An Inspirational Explorer, Lo has sparked a lifestyle brand & movement ignited by her travel experiences.

OLIVIA CHRISTINE | @ochristine She left the corporate world in search of happiness and purpose, using her blog to share experiences and destination advice.

MADE XXXX

SKY HIGH

MADE By India McMiller

TIPS TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP

make your business come to life, with little to no reward.

To avoid feeling discouraged, remind yourself of why you’re doing everything in the first BE PATIENT AND FLEXIBLE INVEST IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE. place. Sometimes, all you Success doesn’t happen overWhen bringing people on board need is to remind yourself of night. Your entrepreneurial for your business, it is of course that genius vision you had on that fateful day and how journey is a long road and important to analyze what passionate you are about your will comewith bumps along specific skills and expectations idea, to give you an extra kick to way. Don’t lose hope you have for them. But also of energy, encouragement and when faced with challenges think about less jobspecific or setbacks. Rather, seethem qualities, such as having a good focus. as opportunities to grow and attitude, flexibility and bringing GIVE YOURSELF capitalize on your ability to great energy to the space.

PERMISSION TO FAIL change or revise strategies for Someone that is genuinely Failure is never easy, themost effective outcome. enjoyable to be around and especially when faced while eager to work can be taught building your own business.

TAKE A BREATHER specificskills and overall Give yourselftime to process a You can’t properly drive a car positively impact the workplace, loss, and then go back to the if the engine is damaged. In the rather than someone who has drawing board. Think about same way, you can’t start up or years of experience, but is what went wrongand what run a business if you are uptight, closeminded you can do differently moving burning yourself out to do so. and difficult to work with. forward. Your failures are Remember to take a step back lessons to ignite improvement whenneeded, and give yourself REMEMBER YOUR VISION and are key building blocks moments to breathe, reflect At some point, it may seem like on your path to success. and regroup. you are on a constant hustle to made-magazine.com | 39

FOUNDERS

ROW: MADE By Kris D. Williams

Founder’s Row is community for creative entrepreneurs of color to provide aspiring entrepreneurs a first row seat to entrepreneurial success. Read best practices from founders who have launched successful businesses in the tech and creative industries. Follow the column to hear from more founders’ stories.

STELLA ASHAOLU FOUNDER & CEO AT WESOLV

1.COMMIT IT TO PAPER...OR TECH As a creative entrepreneur passionate about your business, you can never know when inspiration will strike…and you can never call it back when you are ready for it. When a creative idea comes to mind, whether you are in the bathroom or in the car, write it down, dictate it, or do whatever you can to memorialize it for future use.

2.SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE As a creative entrepreneur you will often times feel like you are all by yourself. Be sure to create a trusting circle of other creative entrepreneurs who will be positive influences and help you get unstuck when there seem to be no answers.

3.CREATE THE SOLUTION NOT THE PROBLEM Creative entrepreneurs can come up with amazing ideas but need to be sure their ideas create solutions to real problems and don’t just create problems to fit their solutions.

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MADE INC

ALEXANDRIA BATDORF CO-FOUNDER AT ZIPFIT DENIM 1.GET FEEDBACK & ITERATE Many entrepreneurs have a tough time sharing their work at first because criticism can feel like a personal attack since we invest so much of ourselves into what we do. However, the most successful people I know, regardless of industry, are constantly asking for feedback and using that feedback to iterate and make what they’re doing better. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

2.COUPLE DATA WITH YOUR CREATIVITY As an entrepreneur, your mind is always racing with new ideas that may help you grow your company. However, it’s important to avoid executing on ideas blindly. For example, if you want to test a new marketing platform you should look at supporting data that can justify why the monetary and/or time investment would make sense. There are many tools such as Google Analytics that can help you make informed decisions by breaking down important information such as customer demographics, traffic sources, etc. to understand if the idea is worthwhile. If you don’t have this data available to you yet, ask other entrepreneurs or experts in your industry to see what has worked for them.

3.THINK LONG TERM Why are you starting a company? How are you different from competitors? Where do you imagine your company being in 3-5 years? What resources and strategies are required for you to get there? When you’re starting a company, these are questions that you should be thinking of. When you’re thinking long term about what you’re trying to accomplish, you’re much more equipped to make smart decisions.

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MADE MADEXXXX INC

LANGSTON

E. HILL,

FOUNDER AT ADTHRILL

1.EVOLVE No one product makes your business, so don’t be afraid to change things up. Remember your business is not a product offering, it’s a problem solver. The products that you work so hard to create will eventually be modified, upgraded, duplicated and outdated all the time.

You remain in business when you dedicate your company towards solving the ever-evolving issues needed in your customers’ industries and world with whatever product is necessary for the time.

2.PACE YOURSELF It’s ok to start lean, and it’s best to start lean.

It’s much less painful to modify your message, business, or product at break-even instead of being thousands of dollars in the hole. It’s ok to build your product in iterations, start with a site that has pre-sale orders, or show a client wireframes of products yet to come.

3.BUILD TOGETHER Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to start your business as a solo founder. However, whether through hiring full-time, part-time, mentorship, equity owners, board of directors, or whatever; make sure you have a team of people who cover your weaknesses and are far smarter than you. Find people who far exceed your skill or intellect level, and then constantly give those people assignments and incentives to work with you. Having smart people in your business is absolutely vital, but the format in which those people work with your company is flexible

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MADE INC

1.BELIEVE No one is going to believe in your vision more than YOU. Once you start to seek external support, especially from investors, your initial source of funds is likely to come because that individual or entity recognizes your passion about your idea, technology, service, etc. You have to be your greatest supporter!

2.SEEK FEEDBACK You should actively seek feedback from others. Allow others to provide criticism. This could include customers, other business professionals, financial providers, or industry partners. This feedback will not always be pleasant, but you should always be willing to internalize the information and process it with trusted advisers whom you respect and admire. This does not mean you have to agree or accept all advice, but you should be open to having the dialogue as it will help you think critically about your enterprise.

3.EMBRACE FAILURE There are numerous maxims about learning from failure, and they are all true. Another word for failure could be lesson. Do not give up because you fail once, twice, or thrice. Perhaps you took a wrong turn, perhaps you needed an oil change, or perhaps the weather was not cooperating that day. After any failure, be sure to walk away with a lesson that will help you in your next endeavor. If you do not fail at some point, you probably are not taking enough risk which means you are not going to grow to your fullest potential.

RENDEL

SOLOMON, FOUNDER AT ONE STOCK ONE FUTURE

Are you a Creative or Tech Entrepreneur?

Tell us your story and you could be featured in MADE. Email

magazine@fame-enterprises.com.

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MADE XXXX

GAME

CHANGER She’s changed the name of the game by competing in a unconventional sport.

Chicago-bred Aja Evans talks about what it takes to win.

Aja Evans Olympic Bobsledder

MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

MADE: As a child, what was your wildest dream and what practical steps did you take to get there?

AE: So, growing up, I come from a really athletic family. My mom ran track, my father was a swimmer - one of the first Black national champions - my brother played in the NFL for eight years for the Vikings, my uncle and cousin both played baseball, so sports have always been in my blood. And so, growing up I’ve always had aspirations to pursue sports. Olympic sports kind of drew me because of my mom and I always wanted to be like my mom. I always wanted to be a track star. I really grew to love Jackie Joyner growing up, that’s my all-time favorite athlete.

MADE: Wow. With all of the attachment to sports, did you know what it would take to be in the Olympics?

AE: When I say wanted to be in the Olympics I didn’t realize exactly what it took, but it was an aspiration and goal of mine. Growing up my mom honestly just let my sister and I be kids. She didn’t force us into sports. We did everything from day camp to cheerleading and basketball...volleyball. We were campers - like kayaking and canoeing - anything you think of, we pretty much did it. So we were really active growing up, and I feel like they [today’s youth] get away from it nowadays. Everyone wants to chill, do stuff on the phone and technology. You kind of have

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MADE INC to push them a little bit more nowadays. But when we were growing up, my mom didn’t want me to get burned out in anything and so she would make sure that every move I made was something that I wanted to do. I didn’t even start track until my freshman year in high school.

MADE: When you took track in high school, is that when things took off? Pun intended.

AE: Once I got to high school - I went to Morgan Park High School, which is a school that was known for track and field on a state and national level - that’s the first time I got dedicated to a sport and was actually competitive. Yeah, I grew up doing just “fun” stuff. We were kids. I was a real life child ‘til my senior year of college (chuckles). I didn’t grow up until like high school, college. I swear. And so, that helped preserve me a little bit when it came to compete. I didn’t get burned out.

MADE: We see where the running part came in, but how did you add the bobsled that ultimately lead your Olympic run in 2014?

When it came to me pursuing bobsledding - like a different type of Olympic sport - my coach told me about it when I was in college. I went to the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign). My senior year in college was in 2010 and that’s when the last Winter Olympic games were before I competed in them. And so, my coach told me that he heard about this sport bobsledding. And I was like (just like everybody else), “Oh yeah, I know what bobsledding is...like ‘Cool Runnings’”.

MADE: Guilty. That’s the first thing that came to mind.

AE: But he was like, “No, if you look at it on a competitive level a lot of athletes (Herschel Walker, Vonetta Flowers) who were really well in their sport, transitioned to the sport of bobsledding and was able to pursue Olympic medals and other big dreams in that sport.” And that’s what’s really cool about my sport, is that it’s considered a second-generation sport. So basically, everybody doesn’t grow up doing it. You kind of come from other areas and other avenues and then you pursue it later on in life. So it’s kind of like a second chance at the Olympic Games and big dreams. Just competing on an international level.

And I think not too many know about it and not too many people like us (African-Americans) know about it. So I think my pursuit in this whole journey opens up doors for a lot more to come. Opens up a lot of people’s eyes...especially from Chicago.

MADE: So, basically the message is that it’s never too late. Your evolution led you to compete in ways you never thought.

AE: Yeah, so I was in the 2014 Winter Olympics, but I’ve been competing on a national and international platform since high school. When I got into sports, I kind of got into it really well and really quick - kind of like what I did when I went into bobsledding. And that allowed to me really stand out like I did with freshman varsity. Our team was really successful.

AE: Yeah, I was running at state. We were winning state championship medals. I went from being a kid to this determined, competitive athlete. I have to credit a lot of that to my coach. I don’t think people realize how much of an influence coaches, teachers and adults really have on us because he was a very strict coach now that I look back on it. We had a good life and were still high school kids and bad in our own way. He taught us to be very determined when it came to track. We had to go to sleep at a certain time when we were traveling, this and that.

He instilled a lot values that carried over when I went to college and on my own or when I pursued bobsledding.

Because doing track and field on a competitive level as a high schooler, that kind of made me realize the type of stuff I wanted to do in life. At first, everyone says they want to be some top athlete or this and that...but then I started realizing that more work I put in, the better I was.

MADE: Share a picture. What was the feeling and energy of being at the Olympics?

AE: I went through so many emotions around the Olympic time. First off, I worked my butt off to get to that point. For the sport of bobsledding, I only did it for two years. So like the season before the Olympics and the season of the Olympic Games. So, it took a lot to go into a different sport where I had no background. And then, not only am I coming in trying to be the top athlete, but I also gotta to learn from all these girls whose positions that I’m essentially taking. I literally have no idea what I’m doing outside the athleticism and the power and strength that I brought with me.

MADE: Those outside skills gave you an advantage though, right?

AE: That helped me to excel in a sport without working my way up as much as other people, but I still had a lot of room for improvement - so that was a struggle within itself. But the actual Olympic Games, being down there was the most breathtaking experience of my life. Being at Opening Ceremony was like...this is what I feel like... when people get engaged it’s like, “I’m so excited” and then the wedding’s coming up, you see the bride and even the groom getting nervous and you’re like, “How are you getting nervous and you know you want to be with this person? It’s something you planned”.

MADE: Okay, we follow you…

AE: But that’s how I felt at the Olympic Games. My whole mindset going there up until the moment of the Opening Ceremony was like, “I know I’m going to be there, I know this is what I want...so it’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s nothing that’s going to really catch me off guard.” But then, when you’re surrounded by all the top athletes of the world and everybody’s just like put the athletics aside, the competitiveness aside and everybody’s just happy, smiling, taking pictures, enjoying the moment...that’s when I was like “I really made it to the Olympic Games”. I’m really walking in with USA, the American flag, all these hundreds, thousands, millions of people...it’s not a competitive environment. That was

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a really breathtaking experience for me because I didn’t really understand what that feeling was like. Honestly, watching it on TV this year...it’s like, nothing compares to being there. So, that was like a really big moment for me.

MADE: What was the vibe leading up to your competition?

AE: With the way the Winter Olympics work for us, we didn’t really get to compete ‘til the second week.

So you have that first week of pretty much watching other sports. And that was really fun because I’m a Black kid from Chicago and I don’t get to see snowboarding, ski moguls, ski jumps live, let alone ever. So like, I was going to all the different events I could to experience as much as I could. But towards the end of that week it started to get me amped up because I was excited to compete and perform for everybody and kind of get my own thing going on. I went through tons of emotions at the Olympics.

MADE: What advice would you give someone - especially professional athletes that are in the midst of a challenge?

AE: I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned as a person (let alone as an athlete) was to trust the process.

I didn’t just wake up and get there. I worked my butt off to get up to that point. So it doesn’t mean that I’m just going to get there and be scared and then let all the hard work I put in go to waste. I really had to fall back on the work. When I got to moments where I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I’m about to really race at the Olympics” or “Oh my gosh, I’m about to go for this and that” the nerves start getting you. I just remember all the work, all the tears that I cried when I was like “Mom, I’m done, I don’t want to do this” and my mom was like “Girl, you better go back up to the top of that hill and go back down and sled” or knowing that my niece is looking up to me and my city. I got so much genuine love and support from the city of Chicago - let alone people all over the world - that it kind of cushions you so you don’t get nervous and you don’t let the butter-

flies get to you to where you don’t perform well.

MADE: So that mental and physical preparation.

Was there anything in particular that your coach told you while you were preparing and building before?

AE: I think the most influential advice I got came from my brother and my uncle who are successful athletes who have competed on a world stage.

They were excited for me and to see them have that love and support and be like, “Listen, you’re gonna get to this point and it’s gonna get you…. don’t let these other countries fool you.” To get that type of comfort from people I look up to, not even on an athletic level, was huge. These are the two most influential men in my life. So to hear that from them and to hear this advice and how they’re cheering me on and to get my medal and have my family down there that really helped motivate me and to push me. I think the best advice I got came from my family and just reassuring me through the process. It wasn’t even one simple word or one thing that they said, just to know that they really got me and they were really supportive and they knew.

Sometimes your family knows without you really having to say it, they know the right things to say and the right thing to do to keep you on track. So that’s the type of stuff I like in my life and that’s what I need.

MADE: With that type of experience under you belt, how are you helping young women or young girls reach for the stars like you did?

AE: One thing that I’ve been doing a lot of (and that I’m working on right now) is working with a lot of foundations and a lot of events. I do a lot of public speaking, so I got the chance to speak with Chicago Public School athletes. I did an Olympic day event with a sports camp for girls. So just reassuring them that it’s okay to have adversities and that’s it’s okay to push through and have goals is key. It’s not going to sound logical to everybody. Everybody will not get your goals and visions. But as long as you get it, as long as you trust it then you’re good.

If I went and told somebody from Morgan Park High School or the places I grew up like, “Hey, I’m about to go win an Olympic medal in bobsledding,” they’re gonna be like “Girl, sit down somewhere” Sometimes you have to show people.

MADE: True. And be comfortable know that they’ll get it when they see it.

AE: And it’s not what everyone has to get. What God has for you, it’s for you. And so, you have to trust that. You have to fall back on your faith, fall back on your hard work and really push forward with that. It’s not going to be for everybody. But then, once you pursue it and once you actually bring it into fruition then everybody gets it. Just kind of sharing my story and trying to empower girls through my story and through the struggles and journey has been a goal of mine. I’m working on building a foundation myself. It’s been a slow process, but we’re making a lot of progress.

MADE: It sounds like it all comes back to the idea of trusting the process.

AE: Trust the journey. I have so many friends that pursued sports on a collegiate level, high school level, but it wasn’t their end all, be all. They’re now lawyers and doctors. I pursued track and field and it made a way for me to get a degree. I’m working on my Master’s degree, and then I’m also an Olympian in an entirely new different sport. Sometimes you can’t just look at everything in black and white. It’s a journey. And I think sports help kids to develop core characteristics - determination - all those things you can use in life, let alone the workforce or in sports. So my thing is empowering kids through sports and kind of showing them, “Listen, I’m proof, I went to Morgan Park High School, I’m from the city of Chicago, I went University of Illinois...I’m proof that you can do whatever you want to do.”

So just trust the journey. Sports give kids a sense of belonging, like things to work for…all those things.

Really empowering kids through sports is a big thing for me.

MADE: What do you think is required to be a game changer and how do you continue to change the game - as a woman in Chicago and as a leader?

AE: The biggest thing that needs to be involved in order to be a game changer is confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t convince me to believe in you. Confidence shows. It’s an aura, it’s a vibe, it’s an energy - and it rubs off on people. I came into that sport (bobsledding) literally not knowing anyone, not knowing anything. But you couldn’t tell me nothing. I just

grew up to a point where I knew my confidence had to be there in order to go pursue anything in life. You go through problems when you fall down, where you’re at rock bottom and I think that’s where you really build your character and you really build that heart and that strong will.

Some stuff you can’t teach, so you gotta get that from within. Nobody can give it to you, pass it on, instill it or anything like that. Confidence and having that certain demeanor is really a big factor in order to be a game changer.

You can’t go anywhere with it. And it shows.

It doesn’t mean you know all the answers or you’re a know-it-all. It’s not cocky. But if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will. You gotta be your biggest supporter, you gotta be your biggest cheerleader, biggest critic. And so, becoming one with myself and really growing in that aspect was really something that helped me become a game changer.

Photography: Chelsey Sincerray

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INTERACTIVE

QUIZ: WHICH CITY FITS YOUR STYLE? Ever thought about how well the city you live in fits your personal style, or how the overall vibe of the city fits your lifestyle? Maybe you’re thinking of moving or you just want to take a trip to a new place. Take this quiz to find out if your new home or vacation spot fits meshes with you.

MADE By Kim Jackson

Questions #1 It’s raining outside, what are you wearing for the day?

A. Something to cover my head—frizz is not my friend.

B. It doesn’t matter because I’m staying inside today.

C. Wait, it’s supposed to rain today?

D. Rain boots, an umbrella, and a nice warm jacket.

Questions#2

After a busy work week, you finally have time to link up with your friends. What do you all have planned for the weekend?

A. A little bit of shopping and dinner at our favorite restaurant.

B. The beach is calling my name!

C. An afternoon showing of a cult film at the movies.

D. Yoga, brunch, and some nice relaxation time at my house.

Questions#3 What’s your preferred method of transportation?

A. Driving B. Biking or walking C. Carpooling or a ridesharing service D. Public transportation

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Questions #4

Pick a music festival to go to?

A. Music Midtown

C. SXSW

B. KAABOO

D. Pemberton Music Festival

Questions #5

Questions #7

It’s 3am and you can’t fall asleep.

Maybe a late night snack will help.

What should you eat?

Describe your personal style?

A. I like to check out what the local boutiques and designers have trending and support their businesses.

A. Somewhere that serves breakfast.

B. Laidback and comfortable. The less fussy the better.

B. Tacos, man!

C. Quick comfort food.

D. Some type of fusion food, like Chinese and Latin-inspired.

C. Very unique and quirky. I stand out in a crowd and I love it.

D. Fashion meets functionality. I wear clothes that correspond with the weather or whatever life throws at me, but still try to look nice.

Questions #6

RESULTS

Which music artist or band would you want to see in concert?

MOSTLY As : ATLANTA It’s the city where Coca-Cola

A. Outkast B. Jason Mraz C. The Dixie Chicks D. Grimes

rules, where the rest of the country finally knew about the amazing-ness of College Park, and where the most popular season of the Love & Hip Hop series was shot. ATL is innovative in its style and breeds only the best designers—nail artists, hair stylists, all of them!

MOSTLY Bs : SAN DIEGO The beach, the authentic Mexican food, and the most perfect weather—what more could you ask for from San Diego? It’s the California city that’s super close to Tijuana, Mexico, so you already know the two cities combine and make the most bomb food!

With the weather almost always on the warmer, hotter, sweatier side, San Diego does its best to cool down and sticks to comfy, cool clothes and swimsuits.

MOSTLY Cs: AUSTIN Austin is the oddball of the Texas family, so odd and fun! Austin has great food, a great local music scene, and the coolest, quirkiest shops and stores for your vacation gift needs. In a city that tasks its residents to “keep Austin weird,” the street style is out of this world and a great place for people who live for the unique.

MOSTLY Ds: VANCOUVER The rain and snow won’t keep Vancouverites down! Vancouver is a super chill city with a very diverse population. The scenery is breathtaking and the food is mouthwatering. Bring your jacket, some warm, cozy boots, and an umbrella, though. The weather may be frightful, but you should walk in the nicest outerwear to keep you toasty and trendy.

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A JOURNAL Although it may not be techsavvy or seem exciting, go back to basics and bring along a trusty journal for your travels.

Sometimes, you may get so caught up in all of the amazing things youwill go and see; having a journal on hand allows you to take a moment for reflection and cite your thoughts and feelings throughout your journey. It can also serve as a great keepsake to look back at and cherish years down the road.

MADE LIFE

LONELY PLANET TRAVEL GUIDES As the world’s most successful travel publisher, Lonely Planet is an excellent source to soak upeverything you need to know about your destination. The company offers both print and downloadable eBook travel guides , accessible for both Android and Apple devices, thatprovide extensive information on every continent on the globe. You can purchase a guide for anentire country, for about $20, or buy a guide for a specific city for around $5. Travel guides include tips on planning your trip, maps, local secrets, day trip ideas, hidden travel gems, and tips to save time and money

WHATSAPP Stay connected with family and friends while overseas with WhatsApp. Available on both Android and Apple devices, this free app allows you to avoid crazy international texting and calling fees by using your phone’s data instead. So go ahead and talk your best friend’s ear off about your adventures!

#TRAVEL

Technology items needed to have a great trip.

COMPANION TRANSFERWISE TransferWise is a great way to receive a money transfer without incurring bank fees. What is unique about the company is that it is a peertopeer money transfer service. As the Business Insider explained, instead of the sender’s money being sent directly to the recipient, the money is redirected to the recipient of an equivalent transfer going in the opposite direction. Therefore, the company crowdsources other users’ currency to assign to the recipient. The company charges a fair, upfront fee per transaction and using the service can save you a great chunk of money than falling victim to greedy bank fees. Transactions from US dollars are usually received in 1 business day, so you don’t have to wait around long with empty pockets. The service is available online, and also for app download and Apple and Android devices.

MADE By India McMiller

PORTABLE CHARGER The last thing you need when travelling abroad is for your phone to die just as you are about tosnap a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Save yourself the disappointment and make sureyou’re fully charged with a portable phone charger. There are tons of options out there to choose from, so check out this compilation of the 30 best portable chargers. Regardless of whether you have an Apple or Android device, or if you need heavy duty or slim and lightweight,you are sure to find an option that fits your needs.

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THE

YACHT CLUB MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

This summer we took a ride on the Anita Dee for FAME Events annual yacht party.

From the bright sun and non-stop good energy throughout, the boat was rocking in style and great summer vibes.

MADE By Lorem Ipsum

Photography: Chelsey Sincerray Models: Trell Love, Brittany McCray

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I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be.

I’m free to be what I want.”

– Muhammad Ali

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Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.” ― —Nelson Mandela

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MADE By Xuxa Day

Paris. Havana. Bali. All of these places are a passport stamp away from indulgement. These places on the map used to be a form of daydreaming or adding to the laundry list of to-dos but has evolved into something as simple as adding it your vision board or using a savings app to put a little away for a quick much needed getaway.

Traveling the world is something millennials are implementing into their lifestyles in the spirit of living in the now versus waiting for the golden years of retirement. The best part of this trending leisure is that you don’t have to soak up these sites alone - there are travel groups that you can share the globe with. According to the New York Times, the Mandala Research firm found that nearly one-fifth of African-Americans take one or more international trips per year, and they spend $48 billion on travel just within the United States alone. In this article, we decided to give you our top 5 list of black travel groups you need to know about next time you decide to jet set:

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MADE LIFE 1. NOMADNESS TRAVEL TRIBE When you decide to opt in to your curiosity of what is outside of your standard tourist spots or even a culture that is the complete opposite of what you’re used to, you’ll need to do some heavy research. Amongst all the useful information will be Nomadness Travel Tribe. The Tribe, created by Evita Robinson and stemming from her travel series Nomad·ness TV, is an urban, travel, online social community of over 9,000 members. The group has an edge as it targets the diverse community of budget-friendly millennials. Let this travel group be the first on your list as it was definitely ours. You can apply for the travel experience of a lifetime with others that want to branch out but need not do so until you pop your passport cherry as it is required you have at least one passport stamp. We recommend this travel group for those who are slightly seasoned in traveling but want to join like-minded individuals.

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TRAVEL NOIRE This travel group is a gem in a handful of jewels as their social media outlets offer a breath of fresh air and new take on that getaway you’ve been plotting. Travel Noire is for the savvy black traveler. The sugar on the rim of this travel group is that any trip is attainable whether you’re used to globetrotting or simply saved enough funds to finally go on a trip with friends. The extra bit of encouragement is given by their online publication which explores African American travelers’ stories from far away places which offers up a euphoric vibe while booking your next flight. Just recently Travel Noire expanded their team due to their exponential growth within the last year. So while you browse the positions available, make sure you also take note of their next trek.

BUCKET LIST BEAST As if going hundreds or thousands of miles away from your homeland was not thrilling enough - some people would like to raise the bar even a tad higher by conquering their fear or pushing the envelope. Extreme locations and adrenaline-rushing experiences such as bungee jumping or even getting on a flight to a place agreed to be unknown until your arrival are just a few instances shared on this travel group’s online forum. If taking shots of cobra blood seem like the stuff of dreams, then this travel group may just hit your sweet spot.

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4. SOUL SOCIETY Virtual support takes the cake when travel groups go digital. Of course you may oooh and ahh at the latest blog post or a close friend reciting all the places they visited during the summer months from Caribana to Cuba. Soul Society is an online entity which has been promoting black travel since 2012. You can scroll through their feed for some inspo on where to go next or even tag them to show off photos of your own journey. There are plenty of places to escape to within the comfort of your own home and a community to ask all those pushpin questions to for your upcoming excursion.

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BLACK GIRL TRAVEL Calling all women who want to do more than take a girls trip to Vegas, there is the travel group BlackGirlTravel.com . The name pretty much speaks for itself but if you’re on the fence about the sisterhood, then book a tour and see for yourself why black girls have united for the sake of travel. We even love their motto “Not Your Grandmother’s Tours” which warrants a guaranteed time of fun on the fly. Their website has proven to be quite resourceful if you’re looking for a travel buddy, want to know the local customs, or just want to spread your Black Girl Magic around the world.

There’s more to traveling than what meets the eye. The point is that you are a millennial with the world, literally, at your fingertips. With these travel groups, you no longer have to go global solo. made-magazine.com | 55

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2017 CRUISES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

MADE By Kim Jackson Even though summer 2016 is coming to a close and everyone is headed back to school or even getting some early prep in for the impending winter, right now is the perfect time to start saving up for next summer’s vacation. Here are just a few of 2017’s awesome cruises you don’t want to miss.

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SPEND 4 DAYS IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL CRUISES aren’t just for “Wheel of Fortune” winners. This cruise takes you on a four-day trip from Miami to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico.

On its 14 decks, the ship has three dining rooms, several clubs and lounges, a sushi bar, and even an internet café, library, and arcade. I could go on about the casino, the five Jacuzzis, and the 1,090 staff members to make your stay a wonderful one, but what’s the catch? From April to June 2017, cruise rates depend on the type of room you want.

An inside room can cost about $300 and up, while an ocean view can cost up to $470. Not totally bad with some pre-planning.

STAY A WHILE IN CANADA SORRY SIX GOD fans, this cruise will be visiting the other side of Canada. The Norwegian Jewel takes passengers on a coastal cruise to some of Western North America’s most gorgeous ports—starting in Los Angeles and working its way through Portland, Seattle, and finally docking in Vancouver, BC. The starting price for one person is about $289, and it includes a movie theater, various exercise and sports spaces, a library and even a shopping center.

You could spend a day or two touring LA, your departing city, or stay in Vancouver for a while. It’s a stunning city with great metropolitan sights, but it also has some flora and fauna for naturists who want to explore. Book an Airbnb or stay at a hotel near the airport to enjoy a longer stay in Canada.

GET YOUR BEADS AT MARDI GRAS 2017 So not only do you get to relax, catch some rays, and enjoy the views of George Town, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, but you also head back to the United States in time for the yearly Mardi Gras celebration. This is definitely a trip to spend with friends or family, and Celebrity Cruises is setting the price at $1,597 per person. Now hold on, don’t let that deter you. Mardi Gras, y’all! Ship perks include a spa, a restaurant featuring Asian cuisine, a Michael Kors boutique, and a live glassblowing demonstration. Round up your crew and start saving up now for an 11-night trip you won’t want to miss. made-magazine.com | 57

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OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO MADE By Chelsey Sincerray

Where are your next steps in life going to take you? Steer yourself in the right direction and move forward with passion.

Continue to remain inspired, motivated and driven to soar and fly high.

CREDITS: Creative Direction: Kris Williams | Photography: Chelsey Sincerray Models: Alex Love, Brandon Smith, Bria Williams Wardrobe Stylists: Chance Davis & Jaelen Isis MUA: Christina Perez Hair Stylist: Kristin Lowery

MADE LIFE

If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, Sometimes you have to make it yourself. —Mindy Kaling

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